


The Best Laid Plans

by LadyDragoncat



Series: Zeta ... After the Series [2]
Category: Batman Beyond spin-off, Zeta Project
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-06-19 20:32:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15518025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyDragoncat/pseuds/LadyDragoncat
Summary: Zeta is no longer being pursued by Agent Bennett, but his story is far from over. In fact, it's only just started...





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> In case I forgot to mention in Part One (Aftermath), I do not own any of The Zeta Project characters. I do, however, own the Original characters you'll see in this story. Be prepared for some mature content and perhaps some violence in later chapters.
> 
> OH! And all flashbacks are "block-quoted".
> 
> And now, without further ado...

_CHAPTER ONE_

  

>   _…Truth is_ _I never had the stomach for building weapons, so I put an extra module in Zeta: a conscience, to make him rethink his programming…_

 

Commander Lemac replayed the scene over and over again, and he still could not believe what he was seeing.

 

When the first Infiltration Units were being designed, he was led to believe that these would be the ultimate weapons against crime. Robots that could pose as targeted individuals, enabling them to infiltrate their criminal territory and with a built-in arsenal that could rival a small army destroy it from within.

 

Among these ultimate weapons was Infiltration Unit Zeta.

 

After all the testing and target practice, Zeta seemed no different than the others. It was doing its job and doing it well for a good while. So when Zeta was assigned to infiltrate Brother’s Day, the NSA was confident that this organization would be stopped in no time. But somewhere along the way, Zeta stopped following orders. It just ran off in the middle of the assignment. And all attempts at retrieval and reprogramming had failed.

 

For more than two years Agent Bennett and his team tried to track down Zeta with the belief that it had been reprogrammed by Brother’s Day agents. Why else would a robot stop following its prime directive? And then, three days ago, Bennett returned with a disc proving that Dr. Selig, the man who created Zeta, was the one who reprogrammed him all along.  Since then, Lemac has been struggling to maintain his composure while he examines the data, which contradicts all previous reports about the renegade robot.

 

( _Unbelievable!_ ) Lemac thinks to himself ( _People laughed at the idea of robots being able to live like human beings, and I was one of them. And now I am looking at proof that a robot can not only have a conscience, but it can also have emotions and, stranger still, nightmares!_ ).

    

> _Don’t deny it, Zeta. If you had done your job in the first place, none of this would have happened. The Nosis would not have blown up, Rowen would not be a wanted fugitive, and Dr. Selig would still be alive if you had just done your job!_
> 
> _No! It wasn’t like that!_
> 
> _This is your fault, Zeta._

 

 As Lemac scans the disc, he hears Zeta arguing with Bennett, but he can’t see anything. The screen is pitch black. When Bennett was questioned about this scene earlier, he swore he had not spoken to Zeta at that time. He was busy putting Brother’s Day agent Titus Sweete in prison. Even Bennett was surprised. Zeta, a machine, was actually having a nightmare.

     

> _It’s your fault… your fault… your fault…_
> 
> _Zee! Wake up! Wake up...! Please, Zee. Wake up! You’re having a nightmare._
> 
> _Ro… It… it was…_
> 
> _It was just a bad dream, Zee. Everything’s alright._
> 
> _It was… my fault, Ro. It was all my fault._

 

And then there’s Rosalie Rowen, a runaway juvenile who’s been sticking to Zeta like glue since they met in Spring City. It is so much easier for Lemac to believe that she’s some kind of evil accomplice, but according to Zeta’s memories, this girl has taken it upon herself to be its guardian, helping it out every step along the way, teaching it how to behave like a human being. And when Zeta was having nightmares, she suddenly became its psychiatrist.

     

> _Zeta! Listen to me!_ _This is not your fault, and I can prove it. Think about this: Bennett and the NSA believe you were reprogrammed by terrorists, right?_
> 
> _Right._
> 
> _Well, Selig said he placed that module in you while you were being made. You had been reprogrammed from the very start. The problem was he didn’t tell anyone about the module, not even you. If he hadn’t kept it such a big secret, he could have been notified about your change in behavior._

 

Commander Lemac couldn’t argue with that statement ( _How can such a smart-aleck street kid seem so wise beyond her years?)._

    

> _So to your knowledge, you destroyed people who were guilty. And once you discovered Dolan was innocent, the module kicked in, making you realize that killing an innocent man was wrong. You’ve been programmed to understand right from wrong. And you’ve been doing it ever since. Every time you notice something wrong, you’d do something to make it right…_

Lemac begins to wonder if this is what Selig had planned for Zeta all along ( _Was Selig trying to create a superhero?_ ).

     

> _But, Dr. Selig is gone. Bennett will never believe me. I can’t prove anything Selig said to us._
> 
> _Yes, you can. Remember how you showed me what went on in that lab when you… lost control of yourself? Those images came from your memory. Our encounter with Selig is in your memories as well. What if you were to download a copy of that onto a disc? We could send a copy to Bennett, and he could see for himself what Selig said about that module._

_(Is Zeta… hugging her? I might as well be watching a soap opera.)_

     

> _Thank you, Ro. Once again, you’ve given me hope._

 

 “Well, Selig,” Lemac says to himself, “I hope you’re proud of yourself. Millions of dollars was spent on creating what we thought was a killer robot, and thanks to you, all it wants to do is fall in love with a teenage girl!”

 

Lemac leaves his desk to look out the window. He can’t stand to look at that disc any longer, but the images remain fresh in his mind ( _How can such a tiny module cause a world of trouble? On one hand, Zeta is government property and supposed to be working for us. On the other hand, Zeta’s built-in conscience prevents him from wanting to kill. He’d rather live like the human he pretends to be… Listen to me! Now I’m calling it a ‘him’.)._

_(And then there’s Rowen, a street kid who knows he’s a robot, but is willing to do whatever it takes to protect him.)_ Lemac can’t help but smirk _(Let’s face it; she’s got what it takes to make a great agent. I should probably recruit her.)_.

 

Lemac’s train of thought is interrupted by the ringing of his phone. “Commander Lemac. What…?! How did this happen…?  I want every available agent on this, understand?” He hangs up and dials a number. “Bennett? This is Lemac. I want you in my office on the double.”

 

Five minutes later, the office door slides open allowing Bennett to walk inside.

 

“Commander, sir, does this involve your decision on Project Zeta?”

 

“I’m afraid Zeta is the least of our problems right now. I just received a call concerning Agent West.”

 

Bennett can already feel the chill running down his spine ( _What has that idiot done now?_ ).

 

Commander Lemac continues, “Since your report on Project Zeta, I’ve had your team reassigned to keep them busy while I reviewed the evidence. Rather than having West growing mould behind a desk, I sent him to help transport a prisoner for a courtroom appearance. The transport team has been ambushed en route. Apparently stealth vehicles had run the transport car off the road, crashing it into a ditch. I don’t yet know the extent of the injuries. I’m hoping West will explain after he’s been treated. But the fact of the matter is… The prisoner has escaped.”

 

Bennett’s chill becomes colder with each second. “Sir? Is the prisoner who I think it is?”

 

“Titus Sweete.”


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Titus Sweete has escaped! What will this mean for Zee and Ro?

_CHAPTER TWO  
_

It’s been a week now since his ‘release’ from custody, but Titus Sweete understands all too well the importance of his situation. Now that he’s made the NSA’s Top 10 Most Wanted, he must maintain an even lower profile than before. To do otherwise would be suicidal.

 

As he shaves off the stubble he acquired while staying with the NSA, he thinks back to Operation: Sinking Ship. The instructions were simple enough: locate the ‘Floating Fortress’ and destroy it. Getting the equipment needed was no problem. He had enough funding at our disposal thanks to the ‘donations’ forwarded by his old buddy, Eugene Dolan ( _That pencil-pusher had no idea where the money was really going. Thank God for dummy corporations. I’ve always said that the only thing better than having what you need, is having the money to pay for it._ ).

 

The hard part, of course, was finding the target. It sickens him to think that somewhere out at sea was a factory making robot technology that would eventually wipe humanity off the face of the earth. ( _What were those fools thinking?_ ) Fortunately, he was able to grab hold of Dr. Edmunds, a hologram expert. With a little persuasion, he was willing to cooperate. He impersonated Dr. Selig, and gave us the location of that Floating Fortress. But then, he and Curtis made a run for it in an escape pod. Sweete will never understand why Curtis bailed out on him like that. Out of all the people he worked with, he trusted Curtis the most.

 

But Sweete didn’t let this one act of betrayal stop him from the task at hand. Despite getting captured, he was able to set off the bombs and shoot down that wacko scientist, Dr. Selig ( _Let’s see him make any more synthoids now!_ ).

 

Synthoids.  As Sweete puts on a fresh set of clothes, he can’t help but think back to being interrogated by that stuck-up Agent Bennett.

  

> _Where’s Zeta?_
> 
>  
> 
> _Who?_
> 
>  
> 
> _The synthoid! Your puppet!_
> 
>  
> 
> _I don’t do synthoids._

  

Sweete’s train of thought is broken by a knocking on the door. “Sweete, are you ready? It’s time to go.”

 

Sweete opens the door. It’s one of the underlings who helped him escape. His arrival means only one thing: It’s time to report to the boss.

 

About an hour later, Sweete’s winding ride through the city arrives at a building near the warehouse district. Once the car enters through the garage parking, Sweete leaves the car and heads straight for the elevator. Using a key the underling gave him, he unlocks a latch below the elevator buttons, revealing a blue button for making the elevator descend ten feet underground to a hidden base. As the doors open, Sweete can’t help but smile ( _It’s good to be back..._ ).

 

As he walks down the hallways, he pretends not to notice the staring eyes from fellow agents as they walk past him. Titus Sweete is something of a legend in the Brother’s Day organization. He led the team that destroyed the Floating Fortress, blowing it to smithereens. Even though he was captured, he completed his mission. He even managed to shoot down Dr. Selig, the scientist behind all those robots. He’s the kind of stuff that top agents are made of, a shining example to the organization. It’s no wonder that the Commander decided to organize his escape. An agent like Titus Sweete is worth the effort.

 

Further down the hall and down a flight of stairs, Sweete is escorted into a dark room. He’s been in this room before. This room determines the fate of every agent in the organization. This room is where an agent can either receive orders, or have his fate sealed. Sweete was never told what the Commander has in store for him since the escape. But now, in this very room, he is about to find out.

 

Wearing his best poker face, he says, “Agent Sweete reporting, sir.”

 

Suddenly, a single spotlight shines down on him as a voice from the darkness replies, “Welcome back, Agent Sweete. Have a seat. We have much to discuss.”

 

A second spotlight shines on a chair about three feet in front of him. He sits down as ordered. Sweete knows it’s not polite to refuse anything from the Commander.

 

The Commander continues, “First I wish to congratulate you on your success with Operation: Sinking Ship. Of course, with each assignment, there’s always the risk of being captured, but nevertheless, you did what you were ordered. The Floating Fortress is destroyed. Good work.”

 

Sweete slightly bows his head. “Thank you, sir. Although I must admit there was an act of treason during the mission. It seems Agent Curtis decided to make a run for it with Dr. Edmunds at the last minute. I still can’t believe that he’d pull a stunt like that.”

 

“He didn’t.”

 

Sweete raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean, sir?”

 

“Agent Curtis reported to us, claiming that when he went to retrieve Dr. Edmunds at his apartment, he saw two Edmunds before getting knocked unconscious. Since Edmunds is an expert on holograms, he found someone to fill in for himself and Agent Curtis while he made his escape. When Curtis regained consciousness, you had already left. Therefore, he did not betray you.”

 

“Then who…?”

 

“Tell me, Sweete. During your stay with the NSA, did anyone ask you questions about a synthoid?”

 

“Yeah. Bennett kept asking me about a synthoid. I think he called it ‘Zeta’.”

 

“Yes. Infiltration Unit Zeta.”

 

Another spotlight shines to Sweete’s left. He can now see a table with a file on it. Sweete fetches the file and returns to his seat. He opens the file and sees a wanted poster with two faces on it. One is a robot, the other a human.

 

“This,” the Commander says, “is Infiltration Unit Zeta. According to our sources, this robot was sent to infiltrate our organization over two years ago. During that time, it stopped obeying orders and went on the run. The NSA has been hunting it down, thinking we had reprogrammed it.”

 

“And they think I knew something about it?”

 

“Apparently, they had good reason to think so.”

 

Sweete raises an eyebrow again as the Commander continues, “One of our sources in the NSA managed to obtain access to Commander Lemac’s office. There he discovered a disc containing a large amount of data. He managed to make a copy, which I have looked over and discovered images of you talking face-to-face… Don’t worry, Sweete. Let me finish.  These images are memories of the synthoid known as Zeta. At the time, he was disguised as Eugene Dolan.”

 

( _Dolan?! The pencil-pusher?!_ ) Sweete’s moment of shock almost makes him drop the file.

 

The Commander carries on. “I had our hacker team do some research on Dolan. It turns out he was away during some of your meetings with him. The NSA suspected Dolan of being an accomplice of ours, but he overheard you say that Dolan was innocent. That interfered with his prime objective to ‘mimic and destroy targeted individuals’. Zeta did not want to kill an innocent man. That was when he went on the run.”

 

Sweete flipped a page to find another wanted poster. This one was of a young girl.

 

“This is Rosalie Rowen. Zeta met her in Spring City, and according to the data, she’s been something of a guardian angel to him. Would you believe she’s been teaching him to behave like a human?”

 

Sweete begins to hate the girl already ( _Is she crazy or something?_ ).

 

“And the data also shows she’s the one who impersonated Curtis on the sub. Dr. Edmunds gave her a holographic device to use while Zeta posed as Edmunds. They needed a ride to the Floating Fortress to find Dr. Selig. You just happened to have been heading there yourself.”

 

“So that explains them bailing out when they did,” Sweete says, relieved to know it wasn’t really Curtis. But this information fuels his hatred for robots even more. “So that robot was trying to find his master?”

 

“Yes. Apparently, since the NSA was convinced that Zeta had been reprogrammed by us, they wanted to reprogram him back into a killer robot again. Zeta and his friend thought that by talking to Selig, he could prove that Zeta was not a killer anymore. Surprisingly, they were right. Selig had secretly implanted an extra module in Zeta to act as a conscience so he wouldn’t kill. But before Zeta could properly introduce himself, you blew up the fortress and shot down Selig’s escape pod. His greatest creation was right in front of him, and he never knew it. ”

 

Sweete can’t help but smirk. “So now he can’t clear his name. The NSA will be chasing him from here to Calcutta.”

 

“No,” the Commander replies, “they won’t. The girl convinced Zeta to make copies of his memories into the disc that our agent had copied from. Those wanted posters have been removed from the Federal Warrant List. It seems they’ve allowed Zeta to stay with the girl. They’re free to walk the streets.”

 

The thought of a robot free to walk the streets, pretending to be a human being infuriated Sweete to the boiling point. “Sir, with all due respect, we can’t allow this. This is just the type of thing we’ve been trying to avoid.”

 

“I couldn’t agree more, Sweete. That’s why we’re working on a plan to destroy Zeta before they start making more like him. And this is why I had you released. I want you to lead the mission once we’ve formulated a plan. For now, you are to report to your desk. Use this time to compose yourself. I found this information to be quite shocking, myself.”

 

“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.” Sweete leaves the room and heads for his office.

 

At the end of the dark room facing the chair is a surveillance camera. This camera is wired to a computer screen in a spacious office where the Commander conducts his business. As the head of Brother’s Day, he keeps his identity a secret, except to a chosen few. Now that the room is empty, he turns off the camera and ponders over the disc in his hand ( _Yes, quite shocking indeed. The very idea of a robot falling in love is preposterous. What was that fool Selig thinking? And this Rowen girl must be insane. Why would she want to get involved with a robot? Can’t she find herself a boyfriend or something?_ ).

 

The Commander’s thoughts are interrupted by his phone ringing. “Commander, speaking… Really…? Good work.  Continue surveillance for now.” He hangs up the phone ( _Okay, that’s one part going accordingly._ ).

 

The phone rings again. “Commander, speaking… He’s conscious? Ah, excellent news, indeed. I’ll be right over.” He hangs up again and grabs his coat ( _I’ll have a plan for Sweete in due time, but first things first...)._


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now, I wonder how our heroes are doing...

_CHAPTER THREE_

 

As Zee lies on the bed, he stares out through the window watching the sky become brighter with each second. It has been over a week since Bennett allowed him to stay with Ro while the NSA reviewed the memory disc. Even though they haven’t heard from Bennett, Zee and Ro are relieved that they are no longer wanted criminals. Now they are walking the streets during the day, and sleeping peacefully at night.

 

There is no doubt in his mind that he can actually feel Ro, and holding her at night fills him with such a warm sensation. Even now, as the sun rises, he wishes that the sun would stay down a little longer and give him more time to enjoy these moments.

 

Suddenly, he hears the shower being turned on. Ro is taking her morning shower. This should guarantee a few more minutes of caressing her pillow, to enjoy the traces of heat she left behind before it disappears completely ( _So warm… so soft…_ ). As he savors the sensation, he closes his eyes – despite the fact that he’s fully recharged – and falls asleep.

 

“Zee… Zee…”

 

Upon hearing Ro’s voice, he looks around for her, but everything around him looks so white and fluffy, as though he’s walking through clouds. A moment later, he finds a tall mirror rimmed with gold. His reflection has him in his Zee form, but he’s wearing a black tuxedo. This is very strange to him, especially since he does not recall morphing into this form.

 

“Zee…”

 

The mirror shows a figure behind him. He turns around and sees Ro approaching him from the misty distance. He is so relieved to see her; he almost does not notice what she’s wearing. As she comes closer, Zee can see she’s wearing a long, white gown with triangular elbow-length sleeves. Around her waist is a long, white sash, and around her neck is a shining pendant as blue as her eyes. Zee can’t help but stare at this wonderful sight. She approaches him with the grace of a medieval princess.

 

“Zee…”

 

Seeing her smile fills him with such soothing warmth. He reaches out to touch her cheek…

 

“Zee… Zee, wake up. Wake up!”

 

A gentle shaking of his shoulders transforms the misty scene into a hotel room, and Ro’s lovely gown turns into a casual green outfit.

 

“Rise and shine, tin man. It’s time to get going.”

 

“But… But where…?”

 

“To San Francisco. Now that you’re off the hook, it’s safe to look for my family. Casey will be waiting for us.” Ro grabs her backpack and waits at the door.

 

Zee takes a moment to check his memory banks. “Oh, yes. I remember now. You’re right. We should leave now.” Zee removes the covers, gets out of bed and morphs. He’s ready to go, but Ro’s raised eyebrow startles him. “Is something wrong?”

 

“Uh, Zee…? Don’t you think that’s a little too formal?”

 

Zee catches a glimpse of himself in the dresser mirror. He’s wearing the tux from his dream. “Oh! Uh… Sorry.” He morphs into his purple outfit.

 

The ride on the hover bus starts off quietly. As Ro glances through a magazine she had purchased at the station, Zee thinks back to the dream. This is not the first time he’s had this dream, but it is the first time it affected his holomorphic program. He morphed into the tux without thinking.  But he couldn’t deny it was a wonderful dream, and he hopes to have it again.

 

Zee makes sure no one is watching when he reaches into one of his chest compartments and pulls out Dr. Selig’s pocket watch. As he stares at the second hand ticking away, he remembers Selig saying how there was never enough time ( _He was right. There just wasn’t enough time. Every time I tried to talk to him, something happened to prevent it. Finally, after years of searching, there he was, at the place where I was born, talking about the module that changed my programming. I wanted to tell him who I was so badly, but then everything exploded around us. And to make matters worse, his escape pod was shot down. Why did it happen this way? Why?_ ).

 

As Ro flips a page from her magazine, she notices Zee’s face. It looks as though he’s ready to cry again as he stares at the watch in his hand. Ro does not need to be a rocket scientist to figure out what’s happening here: Zee is still mourning for Dr. Selig. She couldn’t blame him, though. After everything that happened, it’s no wonder he became depressed. Any other robot would not have reacted the way Zee did, but Zee was not any other robot ( _Let’s face it; he’s a human trapped in a titanium body._ ).

 

“Why did it happen, Ro? I only wanted to talk to him.”

 

Ro gently put her hand on Zee’s knee. “Not everyone believes a robot can do the things you do: knowing right from wrong, feeling emotions. You’re one of a kind.”

 

“I can’t stop thinking about him. I still wish I had more time with him, and then I’d know what kind of plans he had for me.”

 

“You miss him, Zee. It’s natural to feel this way. You lost someone important to you. To tell you the truth, I miss him, too. I never got to congratulate him. He created something wonderful.”

 

Zee stares into the glass window and sees his reflection in the glass ( _How can this be natural for me? I’m a robot, a machine hiding behind a hologram. And yet, I feel sadness when I think of Dr. Selig; and at the same time, I feel love when I think of Ro. Is this normal human behaviour?_ ). Zee places a hand behind Ro’s neck and onto her shoulder, gently pulling her close and whispers, “Ro?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Bennett said I can stay with you while he looks at my memories, but that was eight days ago, and he hasn’t gotten back to us. Even though no one has been after us, I can’t help but wonder if the NSA will still try and take me away from you. I don’t want to lose you, Ro. I know I’ll never be completely human, but I can learn what I need to know if you’ll keep teaching me. Please, Ro, promise you’ll always stay with me. Please?”

 

Ro understands what he’s going through; she was there, after all. From the moment they first met, she was there for him. She pushed him in the right direction, answered his questions and even covered for him when he made mistakes: all just to keep him from getting captured and destroyed by people who didn’t understand him. His creator had reprogrammed him without telling anyone, and Zee paid dearly for it. He’s been hunted down, shot at and even taken apart. And all the while the man responsible for all this was too busy to be reached. And after everything they went through just to find him, he dies. Ro knows what it’s like to be alone. She wouldn’t wish it on anyone. And besides, she made up her mind days ago that she loves Zee. So as she looks into his eyes, she doesn’t think twice as she smiles and whispers, “I promise, Zee. I will never leave you.”

 

As they cuddle, they do not notice the bus driver adjusting his rear-view mirror to catch a glimpse of the two lovers in love. Nor are they concerned with the other passengers pretending not to notice them. One passenger in particular peeks at the scene from behind a newspaper, and it’s making him sick to his stomach.

 

Later that afternoon, the hover bus makes it to San Francisco, and amongst the snickering passengers, Zee and Ro disembark. As they head toward the main doors, they are spotted by Casey, who greets his sister with a big hug.

 

“Little Bulldozer! You don’t know how relieved I am to see you. When a co-worker showed me an updated Federal Warrant list, your pictures were gone. I didn’t know what to think. But then I got your e-mail saying you were finally off the hook.” Casey takes a moment to stop and look at the little sister he thought he’d never see again, and then he gives her another hug. “You can’t imagine how relieved I am.”

 

“I guess having a relative on the run from the government can be big news.”

 

“Yeah, my boss felt everyone had a right to know. He still hasn’t forgiven me for blowing his big exclusive, but enough about that.” He goes to Zee and shakes his hand. “Congratulations, Zee. How does it feel to be free at last?”

 

“It feels…” Zee glances at Ro and says, “…lovely.”

 

Casey raises an eyebrow at Ro, who’s trying her best not to blush as she says, “Well, look. We’d best be going. There were a couple of details I didn’t mention in the e-mail.”

 

As the threesome leaves the station, the man with the newspaper stays a safe distance away as he dials his cell phone. “It’s Jack. We’ve just arrived in San Francisco. They’re heading out with some red-haired guy. I will maintain surveillance and report again in a few hours.”

 

Two hours later, they are in Casey’s apartment. As Zee enjoys the view from the living-room window, Ro and Casey are in the kitchen preparing sandwiches. As Casey sorts out the deli slices, Ro tells him about Dr. Selig and the Nosis explosion.

 

“Oh, man! That must have been awful. How’s Zee handling it?”

 

Ro is not sure if she should mention Zee’s nightmares. “Well, I know this will be hard to believe, but…”

 

“It was very hard to deal with.” Zee’s appearance in the kitchen entrance startles them both. “In fact, it still is. I’m very thankful for Ro. She gave me hope when I needed it most.”

 

Once again, Casey pretends not to notice Ro blushing.

 

Later that night, Ro and Zee turn in for the night. Casey had prepared his foster mother’s room for them. Casey, in the meantime, takes a look at the disc Ro had given him. Ro told him that they were going to send it to him in the mail, but that was before Bennett gave them the good news. Casey cannot believe what he is seeing. Through Zee’s eyes Casey watches his little sister getting into one dangerous situation after another. And she was willing to put herself in this kind of danger just to protect this one robot. But at the same time, Zee was willing to protect Ro and anyone else who was in danger. The reporter in him begins to admire the footage. The stories he could write from this could put any exclusive his boss could conjure up to shame. But the big brother in him begins to intervene, and he dreads the thought of losing his sister again.

 

After a few more minutes, he decides to call it a night. As he walks to his room he hears a strange, repetitive noise, and it seems to be coming from the other bedroom. He carefully opens the door, and what he sees puts him in shock. Not only is the robot on the bed, cuddling Ro like a teddy bear, but the noise he hears is coming from the robot. He’s snoring. The robot is snoring! And Ro is sleeping comfortably through it all.

 

Casey lies in his bed wide awake. His long-lost sister is sleeping with a robot that can look like a human, sleep like a human and, to top it all off, snore?! ( _It’s going to be a long night!_ )

 


End file.
